Top 10 best Mercedes A-Class alternatives

You won’t have missed how popular the Mercedes A-Class is, appealing to those who love its combination of low running costs and car park-friendly dimensions, without compromising on the feelgood factor enjoyed with an upmarket brand.

But what if you like what the Mercedes has to offer, but the A-Class simply doesn’t do it for you? Then good news! Other car manufacturers recognise those qualities and produce their own takes on that enticing formula. Keep reading for our expert road test team’s take on the 10 best Mercedes A-Class alternatives that should be on your shortlist.

Our pick of the top 10 best Mercedes A-Class alternatives are:

1. BMW 1 Series

2. Audi A3

3. Volvo EX30

4. Honda Civic

5. Peugeot 308

6. Cupra Leon

7. Mazda 3

8. Volkswagen Golf

9. DS 4

10. Mercedes GLA

1. BMW 1 Series

• Recommended trim: M Sport
• Recommended engine: 1.5-litre petrol (118i)
• Starting price: £31,285*
• Wowscore: 7/10

For every move Mercedes makes BMW is ready to counter it, with the 1 Series being the A-Class’s most direct alternative. Now in its third generation – and with an imminent update, so look out for even better deals on run-out models – most 1 Series versions drive the front wheels, breaking BMW’s long-standing tradition of powering those at the back. Worry not, though, because it remains the most engaging to drive choice here.

Inside the 1 Series you’ll discover a high quality tech-fest of features and equipment, with plusher, more expensive feeling materials than the Mercedes can muster, but space is on the tight side, especially for adults riding in the back. There’s a broad range of economical engines, but the surprisingly punchy 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol in the 118i is a great all-rounder.

2. Audi A3

• Recommended trim: S line
• Recommended engine: 1.5-litre petrol (35 TFSI)
• Starting price: £28,085*
• Average Carwow saving: £2,481*
• Wowscore: 7/10

As sure as night follows day, Audi keeps tabs with what BMW and Mercedes are up to and ensures it’s at the same game. The A3 is different, though, because here it was Audi that entered the arena first. Recently given a makeover, the fourth-generation A3’s appeal lies primarily with its exquisite interior, using a rich combination of materials that make the alternatives feel a bit cheap in comparison.

Our choice of engines would be the 150hp 1.5-litre petrol, which serves up fine performance without eye-watering fuel consumption, but there are other A3s with even lower running costs, including plug-in hybrid versions. The Audi provides a decent amount of passenger space and a large boot, but watch out for those high-grade plastics with kids’ sticky fingers and sharp-cornered rubbish on tip runs.

3. Volvo EX30

• Recommended trim: Plus
• Recommended engine: Single Motor Extended Range (electric)
• Starting price: £33,795*
• Average Carwow saving: £851*
• Wowscore: 10/10

Okay, okay, so our reigning Car of the Year is really an SUV, but given its compact footprint and relatively low height, the EX30 is a genuine alternative to the A-Class given Volvo didn’t replace its V40 hatchback. Another key EX30 difference is that it’s only available in electric form, with a choice of a one- or two-motor set-up and a couple of battery sizes. The Single Motor Extended Range, with the larger 65kWh battery, delivers astonishingly quick acceleration yet can travel almost 300 miles between recharges, based on official figures.

Its sleek exterior is complemented by a Scandi-cool interior that epitomises minimalistic design. While that ensures the roomy cabin feels even more spacious, we’d still like to see some physical controls rather than having everything operate via the touchscreen.

4. Honda Civic

• Recommended trim: Sport
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre petrol hybrid
• Starting price: £35,005*
• Average Carwow saving: £2,770*
• Wowscore: 9/10

Overlook the Honda Civic and you’ll be missing out on an extraordinarily good A-Class alternative. Sure, the Honda name doesn’t have the same upmarket connotations as Mercedes, but the Civic’s engineering strength in depth is among the very best, as evidenced by the excellent hybrid arrangement’s lack of thirst for petrol.

Good quality materials and slick interior tech features feel as though they will last without signs of degradation, while there’s a wealth of space for people and their stuff, too. Honda hasn’t lost overlooked driver engagement with the Civic, yet it remains comfortable over poorly surfaced roads.

5. Peugeot 308

• Recommended trim: GT
• Recommended engine: 1.2-litre petrol (PureTech 130)
• Starting price: £28,060*
• Average Carwow saving: £7,302*
• Wowscore: 8/10

As part of the giant Stellantis car-building empire with brands that also include Citroen, Fiat and Vauxhall, Peugeot’s returned to a market position it occupied long-ago as a high-quality alternative to premium marques, but without the glitz and expensive price tags. As an A-Class alternative, the Peugeot 308 is a case in point.

Its roomy, tactile delight of an interior is a relaxing place to while away long journeys, but it still offers a satisfying degree of involvement for drivers who enjoy pressing on. Running a 308 isn’t going to be ruinous, either, with a range of power options including plug-in hybrids and fully electric models. We’d opt for the 130hp turbocharged petrol for a great blend of usable urgency and its small appetite for fuel.

6. Cupra Leon

• Recommended trim: V1 Design Edition
• Recommended engine: 1.5-litre petrol (TSI 150)
• Starting price: £31,145*
• Average Carwow saving: £1,276*
• Wowscore: 8/10

If the Cupra Leon looks family, that may well be because it’s also sold as a SEAT. Cupra is pitched as a sportier, more youthful brand to SEAT’s more mainstream mantra. Certainly, the Cupra version feels more special thanks to richer interior materials, exclusive colour combinations and, for those who want it, much higher performance levels. That said, we’d stick with the 150hp 1.5-litre petrol as the range’s sweet spot.

Engaging to drive, packed with nice-to-have features and with a roomy interior, the Cupra Leon doesn’t feel like a poor relation of the Audi A3, with which it shares much of its mechanical components, yet it represents better value for money.

7. Mazda 3

• Recommended trim: Homura
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre petrol (e-Skyactiv G)
• Starting price: £23,955*
• Average Carwow saving: £2,369*
• Wowscore: 7/10

Mazda has a long history of doing things differently and even though in many regards its 3 range is conventional, there’s a sufficient degree of difference to make it feel special and consequently a viable alternative to the A-Class. Not only does the Mazda 3’s exterior look confidently different, inside there’s a raft of upscale materials and an attention to detail that makes every touchpoint feel reassuringly positive.

Skyactiv is the term applied to Mazda’s all-encompassing ethos of reducing weight and improving efficiency; that comparative lightness benefits the 3, making it an especially enjoyable model to drive. Less positive is the claustrophobic feeling for those sat in the back and while the 122hp Skyactiv-G engine is frugal, you do have to give its excellent gearbox a workout to maximise its performance.

8. Volkswagen Golf

• Recommended trim: R-Line
• Recommended engine: 1.5-litre petrol
• Starting price: £27,035*
• Average Carwow saving: £2,295*
• Wowscore: 7/10

Not too long ago, the VW Golf was the default choice for anyone who wanted a practical family hatch, an everyday performance hero or somewhere cosetting to soak up the drudgery of motorway commutes. Things have gone slightly awry with the eighth-generation Golf, aided and abetted by its frustrating interior touch-sensitive controls, but the recent facelift has redressed many of those bugbears.

Fundamentally, the Golf remains a solid choice and in sporty R-Line trim feels like an appropriate A-Class alternative. Yes, Volkswagen offers a range of power options for the Golf – but no longer fully electric, as that’s the ID.3’s preserve – but as with its A3 and Leon cousins, it’s the 150hp petrol that makes for a great all-rounder.

9. DS 4

• Recommended trim: Performance Line
• Recommended engine: 1.2-litre petrol (PureTech 130)
• Starting price: £31,870*
• Average Carwow saving: £2,211*
• Wowscore: 6/10

If you want a left-field choice and are happy to answer the endless stream of ‘what is that?’ enquiries from a curious public, then the DS 4 is for you. DS is to Citroen in a similar way to what Cupra is to SEAT, but with a slant on luxury rather than performance. In many regards it works, too, with a bold look inside and out, and trim choices that you’re unlikely to find in other A-Class alternatives.

Ultimately, it doesn’t all gel together as well as we’d want, though. Some cheap-feeling elements of the interior are all too apparent, adding to an impression that it isn’t that upmarket compared with the related Citroen C4 and Vauxhall Astra, let alone the Peugeot 308.

10. Mercedes GLA

• Recommended trim: AMG Line Executive
• Recommended engine: 1.3-litre petrol (GLA 200)
• Starting price: £35,660*
• Wowscore: 7/10

No, we haven’t lost the plot here, but we do recognise that within Mercedes’ model range there are a trio of A-Class alternatives in the forms of the roomier B-Class, the sleeker CLA and the chunkier GLA. It’s the latter we’re focusing on here as it’s not much bigger than A-Class hatchback, but being slightly loftier and more rugged, it taps right into the popular SUV genre.

To look at, to be inside and to drive, the GLA is something of an A-Class facsimile, with barely any drawbacks from riding higher, aside from slightly inferior fuel efficiency. However, unlike other manufacturer’s small SUVs, the transition from A to GLA doesn’t seem to have liberated a great deal of extra room or practicality. A broad range of engines is available, but the 1.3-litre petrol found in the confusingly badged GLA 200 models delivers an appealing performance and economy balance.

Mercedes A-Class alternatives FAQs

Is the Mercedes A-Class worth buying?

Yes it is, providing you are in the market for a compact five-door hatchback that has an upmarket image, doesn’t cost the earth to run – providing you avoid the AMG A 45 versions – and enjoy the showiness of its slick-looking interior.

Of course, alternatives to the A-Class offer more room inside, use higher quality materials inside, are more engaging to drive and are even easier on your bank balance when it comes to running and maintaining it.

While those alternatives excel in one or more areas, the A-Class’s popularity is down to how good it is across all of them.

What is the best Mercedes A-Class alternative?

Of the 10 A-Class alternatives we’ve showcased here, the BMW 1 Series is the most immediate choice, as similar to the Mercedes, it’s very good across the board. While the 1 Series trumps the A-Class for driver enjoyment and interior quality, the Mercedes wins out by being roomier, more comfortable and a degree more practical.

However, if you’re happy to think outside the hatchback box and consider a compact SUV instead, then the fully electric Volvo EX30 is the best alternative to the Mercedes A-Class. Lots of interior space, inexpensive to run and great value to buy in the first place, it’s not our Car of the Year for nothing.

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